JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Ritz Theatre and Museum is announcing its 2014-2015 Fall season line up of concert and events! Staff says it marks the beginning of a new era at the historic downtown facility.
This fall, The Ritz Theatre Jazz Jamm will host performers, including (but not limited to): the world-renowned Jeff Lorber Fusion, free-spirited Euge Groove, the elegant and jazzy Maysa and Urban Jazz Coalition featuring Marcus Anderson.
Other artist slated to perform include a trio of Grammy nominated artist, including: Case, Allen Toussaint and Betty Lavette; inspirational songstress Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens; and a host of culturally-rich performers, such as: soul singers Otis Clay and Syl Johnson, Grammy Award-winning Diane Schuur, blues guitarist Lucky Peterson and the new-school-contemporary-duo Black Violin.
Facility Director, Liz McDonald says, "This is a very exciting season for the Ritz because we're celebrating the journey of our rich-cultural history; while building towards a new era of greatness".
Additionally, the museum will open a new exhibit, entitled: ‘Fine Art of Jazz'; which showcases the impact Kansas City Jazz musicians and vocalists had on the national jazz movement of the 1920s and 1930s through photographs by Dan White, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and commentary on renowned jazz musicians who got their start in Kansas City and grew from there to have great impact on American jazz as we know it today.
Marketing & Development Manager, Octavius Davis says, "One thing I really appreciate about, the city of Jacksonville has a very strong passion for the Ritz Theater on so with SMG that passion has transferred onto us as well. And what we're now seeking to do is spread that message of the historic value that the Ritz Theater has but also build upon that legend by expanding it and adding additional things people may not have expected from the Ritz Theatre before."
The Ritz Theatre and Museum is located in downtown Jacksonville at 829 North Davis Street. Sign up to receive weekly event news from the Ritz at www.RitzJacksonville.com or call 904-807-2010 for ticket information.
Here is more information about some of the upcoming events scheduled at the Ritz Theater:
OCTOBER 25TH – THE RITZ 15TH ANNIVERSARY W/BETTYE LAVETTE
Two time Grammy nominee Bettye LaVette is no mere singer. Bettye is an interpreter of the highest order. Whether the song originated as country, rock, pop, or blues, when she gets through with it, it is pure R&B. She gets inside a song and shapes and twists it to convey all of the emotion that can be wrought from the lyric.
She has received the Blues Music Award for "Best Contemporary Female Blues Singer". She performed a critically acclaimed version of "Love Reign O'er Me" at The Kennedy Center Honors in a tribute to The Who. A critical favorite, the producers had her perform "A Change Is Gonna Come" with Jon Bon Jovi for President elect Barack Obama on HBO's telecast of the kick-off Inaugural Celebratory concert, We Are One.
NOVEMBER 1ST – JAZZ JAMM W/MAYSA
After receiving her degree from Morgan State University, Maysa headed to Southern California to perform with Stevie Wonder's female backup group Wonderlove, while with Wonder, Maysa was a vocalist on the Jungle Fever soundtrack and performed on numerous television shows including The Arsenio Hall Show, Oprah and The Tonight Show.
Maysa recorded her self-titled debut in 1995, followed by her second album All My Life in 2000, Out of The Blue in 2002, Smooth Sailing in 2004, Sweet Classic Soul in 2006, and Feel The Fire, 2007. In 2008, Metamorphosis peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz top 100 chart and No. 13 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In 2010, "A Woman in Love", Maysa's 8th Solo CD debuted at No. 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Charts. Maysa's 9th solo album, Motions of Love, released in November 2011, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Charts and Number 7 on the R&B charts.
NOVEMBER 14TH – CLARENCE CARTER
Born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1936 and blind since birth, Clarence Carter was playing guitar by the time he was 11, his own style influenced by the blues records of John Lee Hooker, Lighting' Hopkins and Jimmy Reed. After attending college and earning a degree in music, Clarence hooked up with another blind musician, keyboard player Calvin Scott, in 1963.
As Clarence & Calvin, the duo recorded for a couple of different labels. A 1965 recording session in Muscle Shoals, Alabama at producer/owner Rick Hall's Fame Studio (later to be known as "the Home of Southern Soul" because of hits by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James and others) proved a turning point. The song the duo cut, "Step by Step," came to the attention of Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler and although it wasn't a hit, the company became aware of Carter's bluesy, distinctive vocal sound. After partner Calvin was injured in an auto accident, Clarence took the solo route, recording for producer Hall's Fame label and scoring some R&B success.
NOVEMBER 22ND – OTIS CLAY In 1965 Clay signed with One-derful! Records in Chicago, to make secular recordings. After releasing a series of gospel-tinged soul records, his first hit came in 1967 with "That's How It Is (When You're In Love)", which reached # 34 on the R&B chart, followed by "A Lasting Love" (# 48 R&B). In 1968 the record company folded and his contract was bought by Atlantic Records, who launched their subsidiary Cotillion label with Clay's version of the Sir Douglas Quintet hit, "She's About A Mover", produced at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. The record became Clay's biggest pop hit, reaching # 97 on the Hot 100 (# 47 R&B). However, follow-ups on Cotillion, including "Hard Working Woman" produced by Syl Johnson, and "Is It Over?" produced by Willie Mitchell in Memphis, were less successful.
Clay continues to perform to this day. On August 11, 2012 he was one of several acts that performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors Summer Concerts in New York City. He was backed by the band Platinum. Clay was joined on stage for the finale by William Bell and Teenie Hodges. Clay was one of the 2013 inductees to the Blues Hall of Fame.
DECEMBER 6TH – JAZZ JAMM W/URBAN JAZZ COALITION W/MARCUS ANDERSON
Urban Jazz Coalition has made a strong impression with traditional & satellite/internet radio stations propelling their last four CD releases, "Gravitate", "A New Day", "Down To Get Up", and "Long Street" to each achieve "Top 50" status on international airplay charts, and to generate worldwide distribution of the group's music catalogue. UJF's latest project, "One Step Closer", promises to continue that amazing trend.
UJC's music has also been featured in network television programming, international film soundtracks, regional advertising campaigns, and as part of an eclectic group of artists on a Gospel/Jazz compilation project released by Capitol/EMI Records.
DECEMBER 12TH – BLACK VIOLIN
It's hard to think of another African-American violin player to make their mark in popular music, so classically trained South Florida twosome, Wilner "Wil B" Baptiste and Kevin "Kev Marcus" Sylvester, who go by the name Black Violin are a welcome revelation for their ability to meld highbrow and pop culture, "Brandenburg" and "breakdown," into a single genre-busting act.
The band's most recent album, Classically Trained, is the follow-up to their 2007 self-titled debut on their own Di-Versatile Music Group label, which is as good an introduction to their groundbreaking blend of classical, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and even bluegrass music.
DECEMBER 13TH – ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Allen Toussaint is a senior member of that titled fraternity, a renowned songwriter and producer, who's celebrated for his distinctively deft and funky feel on the piano and still active after more than fifty years in the business. No fading golden oldie is this piano professor, though many of his successes reach back that far.
In the last fifteen years, Toussaint has experienced a growing resurgence of activity and recognition. Since '96, he's recorded seven albums and collaborated with the likes of Elvis Costello and Eric Clapton. He's been sampled by such hip-hop heavyweights as O.D.B., Biz Markie, KRS One and Outkast, and appeared nationally on TV and radio – often on the urging of such longtime fans as Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer, and on the HBO series Treme. He's been Grammy® nominated and inducted into a number of Halls of Fame. Most recently, President Obama himself awarded him the National Medal of Arts in a special White House ceremony.
JANUARY 16TH – CASE Case's solo career took off in 1996 with the release of "Touch Me, Tease Me" (with rapper Foxy Brown and R&B singer Mary J. Blige) from The Nutty Professor soundtrack, going gold and reaching #4 on the R&B charts and #63 on the Hot 100. His self-titled debut Case soon followed along with the minor R&B hit singles "More to Love" and "I Gotcha."
After a few years away from the music industry, Case reappeared in 2008 on the track "Face to Face" (a duet with singer Coko) which was included the soundtrack of Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns (film). His fourth studio album, The Rose Experience which had undergone various title changes and a label shift (from Def Jam to his own indie imprint, Indigo Blue) was released on March 24, 2009. It was preceded by a single, "Lovely" which reached #72 on the R&B chart.
He's currently at work on his fifth studio album titled Heaven's Door set for release in 2014. One announced track slated to become a single is "London Rain."
JANUARY 17TH – DIANE SCHUUR
Long regarded as one of Contemporary Jazz's leading vocalist, Diane Schuur is as eclectic as she is brilliant. The Tacoma, Washington native was blind from birth; but she was gifted with perfect pitch and initially taught herself piano by ear.
With a distinguished recording career that spans three decades, including two Grammy awards, as well as three additional Grammy nominations, Schuur's music has explored almost every corner of the 20th Century musical landscape. Her musical collaborations include: the Count Basie Orchestra, Barry Manilow, B.B. King, Ray Charles and Jose Feliciano, amount countless others. There collaborations have resulted in numerous #1 Billboard Chart recordings, including Pure Schuur and Heart to Heart with B.B. King; Ms. Schuur has appears on PBS and many other television specials…as well as a very special visit to the beloved TV show, Sesame Street. Diane has been invited to perform at The White House on multiple occasions, and was one of the select musical guests invited to perform for Steveie Wonder at the Kennedy Center Honors when he received his prestigious award. She continues to tour and perform extensively at major concert halls and venues around the world.
JANUARY 30TH – LUCKY PETERSON
Lucky Peterson is the most dangerous triple threat working in the blues. He has gained a reputation as one of the most preeminent performers of the modern era as a searing lead guitarist, fantastic organist, and first-rate vocalist. His many talents are truly mind-boggling. Peterson has blazed the blues trail since he was a little kid. At the young age of five he had a hit single in 1969 with "1-2-3-4" and subsequently appeared on the "Ed Sullivan Show," "David Frost Show," "The Tonight Show" and others, performing that Willie Dixon-produced tune while seated at the hulking Hammond B-3 organ.
Now approaching his 50th birthday, Peterson is back on the scene with a career-defining album for the Jazz Village label. With such titles as "Blues in My Blood," "I'm Still Here" and the autobiographical title track (penned by renowned Texas playwright Dianne Tucker), The Son of a Bluesman may be Peterson's most potent and personal recording in his extensive discography going back to his 1989 debut, Lucky Strikes!
FEBRUARY 7TH – SYL JOHNSON
Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States, he migrated with his family to Chicago in 1950; blues guitarist Magic Samwas his next-door neighbor.[1] Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Recordsof Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.
Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems as in songs including "Is It Because I'm Black", which reached Number 11 in the US Billboard R&B chart in 1969.